Weapons discharges from military training school cause scare in Minbya Twsp

By Admin 09 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
9 June 2023, Minbya

Local people were reportedly frightened by the sounds of heavy weapon and small arms fire at the No. 9 military training school near Kanni Village, part of Arakan State’s Minbya Township, on June 6 and 8.

Locals are worried that fighting will resume due to those sounds, said a local man from Kanni Village who did not wish to be named.

“We heard sounds of heavy weapon and small arms fire for three consecutive days. The military sometimes opened fire at night. I don’t know why heavy weapons and small arms were fired. The villagers are worried that fighting will resume,” the Kanni villager told DMG.

She worries that fighting will resume because locals were forced to flee to nearby villages due to clashes between the military and Arakan Army in 2019, said another woman from Kanni Village.

“We fled to Pauktaw and Myebon townships when the fighting between the military and AA broke out in 2019. The military used jet fighters to drop bombs near the village. We are worried that fighting will resume as the military fires heavy weapons,” she added.

At least 10 rounds of heavy weapon and small arms fire were heard on Thursday, said residents of Maylwan Village in Minbya Township.

The military used jet fighters and attack helicopters in clashes with AA when the ethnic armed group attacked the No. 9 military training school in 2020.

The junta and AA reached their latest informal ceasefire, on humanitarian grounds, more than six months ago.

“As far as we know, the military used to inform locals in advance about the military training,” said U Pe Than, an Arakanese political analyst. “The military has not released any statement about the firing. The military’s heavy weapon and small arms fire during the cessation of hostilities is to scare the public. I think the military shouldn’t do that.”

Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura could not be reached for comment on the matter.